Graduation Paper Guideline potx

Graduation Paper Guideline
A graduation paper needs to strictly follow the format and style required by the Department
where it is completed. Therefore, before embarking on writing up your graduation paper, you
should consult this document carefully.
I. Style and Format
1. Language:
Graduation papers must be presented in English. Any accompanying materials (e.g.
appendices) written in languages other than English must be translated into English.
2. Word length:
The length of the paper should be in range of 10,000 – 12,000 words (30-40 pages), not
including the References and Appendices.
3. Page size:
The recommended page size is A4.
4. Margins:
The binding margin of at least 1.50 inches (or 3.5 cm) is required on the left side for the spine
and at least one inch (or 2.5 cm) is required on the three remaining sides (top, bottom and
right).
5. Type face:
The recommended font styles for main text are 14 point Times New Roman or VnTime in black
(consistent type face should be applied). Footnotes may be of a smaller font size. The cover
page and the title page should adopt a different font style.
6. Alignment:
Use justified text alignment throughout the paper (except for the cover and title pages) to
create even left and right margins.
7. Paragraphing and line spacing:
Indent the first line of each paragraph one tab (5-7 spaces) from the left margin. Use 1.5 line
spacing throughout the paper, except for long quotations (see below).
8. Quotations:
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In-text quotations of fewer than 40 words should be enclosed in double quotation marks and
should be incorporated into the formal structure of the sentence. However, quotations of 40 or

more words should appear as separate paragraphs, indented 5 spaces from the left-hand
margin throughout the passage with quote-marks omitted. Also, change spacing from ‘1.5
lines’ to ‘single-space’.
9. Footnotes:
Arabic numerals are used consecutively throughout a chapter, and should normally appear at
the bottom of the relevant page, keyed to the same number following the word or phrase in the
text to which it refers. If a footnote is too long for the relevant page, it may be continued on the
following page preceding the footnotes for that page. If the number of footnotes is very large,
numbers may be restarted with each chapter. The first reference to a work in a footnote should
be given in full, but subsequent references may be abbreviated using 'ibid', 'op.cit.', etc.
10. Page order and pagination:
Page numbers should be located in a consistent position throughout the paper (either bottom
right-hand corner or centre is recommended). The recommended order of material in a paper
is as follows:
Elements of the paper Pagination
Cover page Not counted and not
numbered
Title page
Acceptance page
Acknowledgements Numbered in Roman
numerals
Abstract
Table of contents
List of tables, figures, and
abbreviations
h. Main text Numbered in Arabic
numerals starting at 1
i. References
j. Appendices (optional)
k. Glossary (optional)

l. Index (optional)
II. Structure and Elements
1. Cover page: The cover page should contain the following elements.
THAINGUYEN UNIVERSITY (font: VnTimeH, size: 14)
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES (font:VnTimeH, bold-typed, 14)
English department (font: VnTimeH, bold-typed, font size: 12)
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STUDENT’S NAME (font: VnTimeH, font size: 14)
TITLE OF THE PAPER (font VnTimeH, bold-typed, font size: 18)
submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of bachelor of arts (TEFL)
(font: VnTimeH, font size: 12)
ThaiNguyen, month – year (font: VnTime, font size: 14)
Note: The paper title:
The title should describe, as briefly as possible, the specific nature of the study. A paper title
should not be more than fifteen words. Such phrases as “a comparison of,” “a study of,” “an
investigation into” are usually superfluous. However, to go to the other extreme by providing a
title that is too brief or too vague to convey the nature of the study is a much more serious
mistake. Emotion-laden titles, such as “We Must Expand the English Programme” or “Don’t
Let Errors Discourage Your Language Students,” should be avoided at all costs.
2. Title page: Same as the cover page but also includes the supervisor’s name and title in 14
point VNTimeH.
3. Acceptance page:
I hereby state that I: (Student’s name, class), being a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of
Arts (TEFL) accept the requirements of the College relating to the retention and use of
Bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited in the library.
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in the library
should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal
conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of the paper.
Signature
Date

4. Acknowledgements:
The acknowledgement is used to thank any organizations, groups, or individuals who have
been involved with the research.
5. Abstract:
The abstract, which should not exceed 300 words, is to give a brief overview of the study
report. The abstract should:
 give a brief background to the study including its objectives
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 give a brief description of the methods and procedures adopted
 summarise the main findings
 list recommendations (if there are any)
6. Table of contents:
This should list any chapter titles, normally in upper case, preceded by their numbers in
Roman or Arabic numerals. Any subheadings should be in lower case except as required for
initial letters. It is recommended that no more than four levels of subheadings are included in
the Table of Contents (chapter names are level 1 headings, subheadings of a chapter are level 2
headings, subheadings of subheadings are level 3, etc.). Subsections of chapters may be
numbered with Arabic numerals, or with letters in either upper or lower case.
7. List of tables, figures, and abbreviations:
This section immediately follows the abstract. Lists of tables, figures, photographs, maps and
illustrations should be numbered in Arabic numerals (1,2,3, etc). Any abbreviations or
glossary/symbols used should be separately listed in this section, the abbreviated form starting
from the left-hand margin, with the full form to its right, e.g.:
TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
8. Main text:
The main text of your thesis must be divided into a logical scheme that is followed consistently
throughout the work. Chapters with subsections are the most common form of division. Any
logical system of subdivision within chapters or sections may be used, but the scheme must be
consistent throughout the manuscript.
9. References:

A list of references must be included at the end of the paper. Remember to list only works
that you have referred to in the paper. The reference section begins on a new page. Reference
entries are organised alphabetically by surnames of first authors. Most reference entries have
three components:
Author(s): if there is more than one author, the authors are listed in the same order as
specified in the source, using surnames and initials, separated by commas.
Year of publication: in parentheses following author (s), with a period following the closing
parenthesis.
Source of reference: includes title, journal, volume, pages (for journal article) or title, city of
publication, publisher (for book).
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Follow the APA styles when referencing your paper. See the Appendix for information about
the APA.
10. Appendices:
This is an optional section for any additional material that does not fit conveniently in the
body of the text. It is a good idea to include any confidential information required for the
thesis into appendices where possible. Each appendix should be labelled in sequence, either
with capital letters or with numerals.
11. Glossary:
This is an optional section. A glossary contains brief explanations of difficult expressions, or
specialised terms.
12. Index: This is optional and is not normally required.
Recommended sequence of the elements:
I. Preliminary pages:
1. Cover page
2. Title page
3. Acceptance page
4. Acknowledgements
5. Abstract
6. Table of contents

7. List of tables, figures, and abbreviations, etc.
II. Main text:
1. Introduction
a. Statement of the problem and rationale for the study
b. Aims and objectives (or Research questions)
c. Significance of the study
d. Scope of the study
e. Organisation
2. Literature review
3. Methodology
a. Participants
b. Instruments
c. Procedures of data collection
d. Procedures of data analysis
4. Results and discussion
a. Findings
b. Discussion
c. Application
5. Conclusion
a. Summary of findings
b. Limitations
c. Suggestions for further research
III. Supplementary pages:
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1. Appendices (optional)
2. Glossary (optional)
3. Index (optional)
III. The main text
The main body of the paper should follow the structure suggested below.
1. Introduction:

The purpose of the introduction is to frame the paper for its readers. It should provide:
 a brief description of the topic including any background that might be necessary for the
general reader to understand the research area
 a statement as to why the topic is worth researching or why it could be found interesting
 a statement of the research objectives or hypothesis
 a statement of the scope of study
 an overview of the rest of the paper
Note:
The research problem:
The problem should not be either trivial or not delimited. Trivial problems are those that are of
only peripheral interest to researchers or show little likelihood of adding to knowledge in the
field. On the other hand, a problem must be focused for both research and practical reasons.
Designs cannot yield valid data for every variable, nor can qualitative researchers encompass
extremely broad questions in one study. Thus, the problem should be rationally delimited.
2. Literature review:
The purpose of reviewing existing information is to find what is already known about the topic.
This part should answer four questions:
 What is the present state of knowledge regarding the topic under consideration?
 How are the studies related to the one being proposed?
 What is the quality of the studies reviewed?
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 How will the proposed study contribute to the existing literature?
There is also the need to maintain a strict control over the material which is covered in the
literature review: only a careful selection of narrowly relevant materials which pertain
immediately to the research question will be included. For an empirical study report, the size
of the literature review should not be more than one third of the total length of the study
report.
3. Methodology:
The purpose of this section is to outline the research methods used and demonstrate that
recognized procedures have been followed in the study. There should be an explanation of the

reason why particular methods were chosen and how the research was conducted. For
example, if a questionnaire survey was used, there should be an account of how many
questionnaires were handed out, how respondents were selected, and what type of information
was expected from the questionnaire.
4. Results and discussion:
The purpose of this part is to state what was found, and to analyse and explain why the results
came out as they did, and how they helped to achieve the objectives of the study or answer the
research questions. Tables, charts and other suitable graphic material should be mixed with
the text. Do not repeat in the text information that is included in tables or graphs. Note only
the most relevant and important features. If a variety of methods have been used, it is
sometimes worth reporting the results from each method separately.
5. Conclusion
The key points of the whole study should be summarised in this part in a logical order. This section
should also mention briefly the limitations of the study and include any recommendations or
suggestions for further studies.
IV. Academic Writing Conventions
1. Research writing style:
Effective writing of research requires an objective, clear, and concise style of communicating
an unambiguous description. A good research report incorporates clear thinking, logically
developed and sequenced ideas, and a smoothness so that the reader is encouraged to continue
reading. Following are some criteria of a research report:
 Use of the precise word
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 Avoiding ambiguity
 Orderly presentation of ideas
 Economy of expression
 Smoothness of expression
 Consideration of the reader
Things to remember when using verb tenses:
 Avoid shifting in tense and ensure subject-verb agreement.

 The tense should be consistent within each paragraph.
 Past tense or present perfect tense is appropriate for the literature review and the
description of the procedures if the discussion is of past events.
 Past tense is used to present the findings of a study.
 Present tense is appropriate to discuss the results and to present research conclusions
and interpretations.
 Future tense, except in proposals, is rarely used.
Correct spelling, grammar construction, and punctuation are expected. The use of
abbreviations and contractions is generally discouraged. The paper should also be written in
the third person with passive voice.
2. Documenting a research paper:
Source material must be documented in the paper by citing the author(s) and the year of
publication of the sources. When a source has two authors, both authors are included every
time the source is cited. When the source has three, four or five authors is cited, all the authors
are included the first time when the source is cited. When that source is cited again, the first
author’s surname and “et al.” are used. Consider the following example:
Review of research on religion and health have concluded that at least some types of
religious behaviors are related to higher levels of physical and mental health (Payne, Bergin,
Bielema, & Jenkins, 1991).
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Payne et al. (1991) showed that ……
If the source has no author, use the first two or three words of the title (omitting the beginning
article), and capitalize each word of the shortened version. Place the short title in quotation
marks if it is an article or chapter, or underline it if it is a book or periodical. Substitute the
short title for the name of the author. The full title appears alphabetically in the reference list
(without quotation marks) in the author position.
Where the reference is made to ideas, opinions or evidence which are traceable to a specific
page, this should be indicated. For example: Richards (1999, p. 15) claims that … or
Richards (1999, p.15).
When a direct quotation is used, always include the author, year, and page number as part of

the citation.
A quotation of fewer than 40 words should be enclosed in double quotation marks and should
be incorporated into the formal structure of the sentence. Consider the following example:
Patients receiving prayers had “less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and
antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests, and were
less frequently incubated and ventilated” (Byrd, 1988, p.829).
A lengthier quotation of 40 or more words should appear (without quotation marks) apart
from the surrounding text, in “block” format, with each line indented five spaces from the left
margin. Also change spacing from ‘1.5 lines’ to ‘single-space’.
NB: you may wish to omit some of the author’s words which are not relevant to your writing.
In this case, use three dots (…) to indicate where you have omitted words.
Examples:
1. "It is futile to maintain that the sexes are interchangeable" (Moir & Jessel, 1991, p. 94).
2. Moir & Jessel (1991) suggested that "it is futile to maintain that the sexes are
interchangeable", (p. 94).
3. Moir & Jessel (1991) have shown that it is futile to continue to assert that the sexes are
interchangeable (p. 94).
4. More particularly, being a facilitator in cooperative learning, I have to establish group work
for students on given goals, “monitor the function of the groups, intervene whenever necessary
to teach small group skill, provide assistance when needed, and evaluate student and groups as
to how well members work together”(Kindsvatter, et al., 1996, p.309)
5. Referring to communicative competence, Savignon (1997) says:
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communicative competence is the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of
meaning; and communicative competence is always context specific, requiring the
simultaneous, integrated use of grammatical competence, discourse competence,
sociolinguistic competence, and strategic competence”(p.225)
6. I totally agree with Celce-Mucia, Dornyei, Thurrell (1995) on the point that “the application of
any theoretical model of communicative competence is relative rather than absolute” (1995, p.34)
and “some components may be more heavily weighted in some teaching and learning situations

than in others” (1995, p.34).
Submission checklist for students
□ Have you provided a final draft for your supervisor’s feedback?
□ Have you included an abstract of not more than 300 words?
□ Have you proofread your paper carefully for spelling and typographical errors? (and ideally
had someone else proofread it for you?)
□ Have you checked that the presentation of your graduation paper meets departmental style
and format guidelines?
□ Does your referencing system conform to the APA style?
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□ Are the pages numbered in sequence?
□ Have you backed up the final version of your work on a disk?
□ Have you allowed enough time for binding?
□ Is there a signed Acceptance Page included with the copies of your paper for binding?
□ Have you read through the binding requirements?
□ Are your cover page and title page set out correctly?
□ Is any additional material such as maps or CDs adequately affixed to the paper?
Submission checklist for supervisors
Before submission
□ Advise the student on deadlines for submission or make arrangements for an extension, if
appropriate.
□ Advise the student on the correct referencing/ bibliography style and format conforming to
the Department’s guidelines.
□ Ask if the student performs all the necessary checks before submitting the final draft for
printing.
Examination:
□ Ensure the grade is submitted to the Department Office on the provided form once the paper
has been marked.
Library deposit:
□ Upon completion of the oral examination, check that the student does all necessary

correction of their work.
□ Remind the student to submit the corrected versions to the Department Office for library
deposit.
Assessment Criteria
Your graduation paper will be assessed against the following criteria:
Criteria Grade
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1. The choice of topic is well justified and the research
problem is significant
1 point
2. The aim and scope of the study are clearly defined 1 point
3. The title of the paper accurately reflects its aim and content 1 point
4. The methodology employed in the study is appropriate and
reliable
1.5 points
5. The study provides a comprehensive and critical review of
literature
1.5 points
6. The study contributes to solving practical problems 1.5 points
7. The paper follows the required format 1 point
8. The paper is written in good academic English 1.5 points
Total mark 10 points
APPENDIX: The APA Style
 FOR A BOOK:
The details required, in order, are:
1. name(s) of author(s), editor(s), compiler(s) or the institution responsible
2. year of publication
3. title of publication and subtitle if any (all titles must be underlined or italicised)
4. edition, (if other than first)
5. place of publication

6. publisher
One author:
Berkman, R.I. (1994). Find it fast: how to uncover expert information. New York:
Harper Perennial.
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Two to six authors: All authors are cited:
Moir, A., & Jessel, D. (1991). Brain sex: the real difference between men and women. London:
Mandarin.
More than six authors:
When a work has more than six authors, cite the surnames and initials of the first six authors,
then follow with the abbreviation "et al." (followed by a full stop.)
Editor(s):
Friedman, S. L. & Wachs, T.D. (Eds.). (1999).Measuring environment across the life span:
Emerging methods and concepts. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Everson, S. (Ed.). (1993). Psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sponsored by institution, corporation or other organisations:
Australian Government Publishing Service. (1994). Style manual for authors, editors and
printers (5th ed.). Canberra: Author.
Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation, Market Research Department. (1991). An
examination of the effect of the domestic aviation dispute on Queensland tourism. Brisbane:
Author.
Series:
Simons, R. C. (1996). Boo!: Culture, experience and the startle reflex. Series in affective
science. New York: Oxford University Press.
Edition:
DeHart, G.B., Alan Sroufe, L., Cooper, R.G. (1995) Child development: its nature and course
(4th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Chapter or part of a book to which a number of authors have contributed:
Bernstein, D. (1995). Transportation planning. In W. F. Chen (Ed.), The civil
engineering handbook. (159-196). Boca Raton: CRC Press.

No author or editor:
The CCH Macquarie dictionary of business.(1993). North Ryde, NSW: CCH Australia.
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 FOR A JOURNAL ARTICLE:
The details required, in order, are:
1. name(s) of author(s) of the article
2. year of publication
3. title of article
4. title of journal and volume number (underlined or italicised)
5. issue (or part) number for journals without continuous pagination
7. page number(s)
Examples:
Jacobson, J. W., Mulick, J. A., & Schwartz, A. A. (1995). A history of facilitated communication:
Science, pseudoscience, and antiscience: Science working group on facilitated communication.
American Psychologist, 50, 750-765. Retrieved January 25, 1996 from

Doherty, N. (2000). Managing careers into the 21st century. Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology, 73, 397-388.
Retrieved August 16, 2000, from Proquest Academic Research Library Database.
If no author is given, the title is used as the first element of a citation.
 SAMPLE LIST OF REFERENCES
Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of language teaching and learning (Fourth Edition). New
York: Addison Wesley Longman.
Celce-Murcia, M., Dornyei , Z., Thurrell, S. (1995).Communicative competence :A pedagogically
motivated model with content specifications. Issues in Applied linguistics, 6(2), 5-53.
Clark, C.M. (1992). Teachers as designers in self-directed professional development. In A.
Hargreaves &M. G. Fullan(Eds.),Understanding teacher development(pp.75-109). New York:
Teacher College Press.
Corder, S. P. (1975). Applied linguistics and language teaching. In J. P. B. Allen & S. P. Corder
(Eds.), Papers in applied linguistics (Vol. 2, pp. 1-15). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hall, J. K. (1998). The communication standards. In J. K. Phillips (Ed.), Foreign language
standards: Linking research, theories, and practice (pp. 15-56). Lincolnwood, IL: National
Textbook Company.
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Johnson, D. W., &Johnson, R. T. (1991). Learning together and alone: Cooperative,
competitive, and individualistic learning (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Johnson, D. W., &Johnson, R. T. (1999). Learning together and alone: cooperative,
competitive, and individualistic learning (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon
Johnson, D. W., et al. (1984). Circles of learning: Cooperation in the classroom. Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Joyce, B., Weil. M., & Showers,B.(1992).Tooling up the community of learner. In B. Joyce,
M.Weil., & B.Showers, Models of teaching. (4 th ed., pp.1-25). Sydney:Allyn and Bacon.
Kindsvatter, R., Wilen, W, and Ishler, M. (1996). Dynamics of effective teaching. New York:
Longman.
Kleinsasser, R. C. (1993). A tale of two technical cultures: Foreign language teaching. Teaching
and Teacher Education An International Journal of Research and Studies, 9 (4),373-383.
Olsen, R. E. W. B., & Kagan, S. (1992) About cooperative learning. In C. Kessler (Ed.),
Cooperative language learning: A teacher’s resource book. (pp.1-30). Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Oxford, R. L. (1997). Cooperative learning, collaborative learning, and interaction: Three
communicative strands in the classroom. Modern Language Journal, 81 (4), 443-456.
Sato, K., & Kleinsasser, R. C. (1999). Communicative language teaching (CLT): Practical
understandings. Modern language Journal, 83(4), 494-517.
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